Kythnos Hiking
Kythnos Hiking
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Kythnos Hiking Holidays and Private Tours offers guided hiking across the Greek island of Kythnos, its fabulous scenery, wildlife, agriculture, beaches, and traditional villages. Trips can vary from just an afternoon to tours of several days including visits to an ancient city and an old Byzantine castle.
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5.0
30 reviews
Excellent
29
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0
Average
0
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0
Terrible
1
John Coppock
Rotterdam, The Netherlands20 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
An excellent 2023 addition to Kythnos Hiking Holidays' repertoire of Cycladic islands for walking tours, local culture and events, following on from Kythos itself and Serifos. Sifnos is quite upmarket and has a wealth of interesting hiking trails, coastal paths and great things to see and do. Veteran host Nigel and local guide Yannis were on top form for the four-day trip. The tour includes an ancient Mycenae site, several monestaries, some great beaches for swimming and excellent local food. Highly recommended.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tere0053
Long Island City, NY86 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Just returned from a terrific hiking vacation with Kythnos Hiking Holiday. We had some beautiful hikes on mountainous terrain overlooking jaw dropping views. Or guide was Molly. She lives on the island and gave us wonderful information on the places we were visiting, especially all of the tiny churches that dot the mountains. The highlight for me was of the hike to Oria Castle, perched high on the mountain accessible by a winding rocky trail.
Our stay was in Filoxomenia Apt Studios. The hotel is charming and very comfortable. We had the nicest balcony that overlooked gardens and the tops of the mountains.
Dinning was an experience. We ate at a different tavernas every night. The food is delicious, seasonal, and so healthy. Every night we started with a Greek Salad. Everyone was so friendly and hospitable. Nigel had promised us a fish night dinner and did not stop until he heard from the restaurant. There would be fresh snapper waiting for us in Merihas. A van for the group was arranged to get us to the port town.
Take heed of their recommendations: Wear long pants to avoid scratching yourself on the prickly bushes lining the trails. There is no trail maintenance and bushes are overgrown. I used hiking poles and found them to be very helpful as there are many ascents and descents on rocky trails. I wore hiking boots and glad I did for the traction they provided. Pack plenty of water as it can get hot and trails are not sheltered. By the afternoon, I had put away 40 plus ounces of water. On some of the hikes, there were no places to purchase water. NIgel is always on call. In the event of bad weather or if a hiker can't finish, he is a phone call away. If he can't make it, a taxi is called.
Finally, don't forget to pack your bathing suit and small towel. In the middle of the hikes we were rewarded with visits to secluded beaches for a refresing swim, The waters are calm and oh so clear. Bring a plastic bag to carry your wet suit in. Keep an empty bottle of water and fill it up with ocean water to rinse of the sand. You'll change behind the canopies of pine trees, just like the locals.
Our stay was in Filoxomenia Apt Studios. The hotel is charming and very comfortable. We had the nicest balcony that overlooked gardens and the tops of the mountains.
Dinning was an experience. We ate at a different tavernas every night. The food is delicious, seasonal, and so healthy. Every night we started with a Greek Salad. Everyone was so friendly and hospitable. Nigel had promised us a fish night dinner and did not stop until he heard from the restaurant. There would be fresh snapper waiting for us in Merihas. A van for the group was arranged to get us to the port town.
Take heed of their recommendations: Wear long pants to avoid scratching yourself on the prickly bushes lining the trails. There is no trail maintenance and bushes are overgrown. I used hiking poles and found them to be very helpful as there are many ascents and descents on rocky trails. I wore hiking boots and glad I did for the traction they provided. Pack plenty of water as it can get hot and trails are not sheltered. By the afternoon, I had put away 40 plus ounces of water. On some of the hikes, there were no places to purchase water. NIgel is always on call. In the event of bad weather or if a hiker can't finish, he is a phone call away. If he can't make it, a taxi is called.
Finally, don't forget to pack your bathing suit and small towel. In the middle of the hikes we were rewarded with visits to secluded beaches for a refresing swim, The waters are calm and oh so clear. Bring a plastic bag to carry your wet suit in. Keep an empty bottle of water and fill it up with ocean water to rinse of the sand. You'll change behind the canopies of pine trees, just like the locals.
Written October 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teresa G
Waterford, Ireland17 contributions
Jun 2024 • Friends
What a wonderful trip and to such a beautiful island.
Many of our walks had to be shortened due to extreme heat but Molly our guide and Nigel ensured we did not miss any of the highlights of the Island.
Add to that a different amazing beach every day for our swim when our walking day was over.
Accommodation was also top class
Many of our walks had to be shortened due to extreme heat but Molly our guide and Nigel ensured we did not miss any of the highlights of the Island.
Add to that a different amazing beach every day for our swim when our walking day was over.
Accommodation was also top class
Written June 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alarkin
Waterford, Ireland4 contributions
Sep 2022
An excellent walking holiday in beautiful surroundings. Nigel, our hard working guide, gave us a great introduction to the history, flora and fauna of Kythnos. We had a welcome break for a swim on all our walks on beautiful remote beaches - a great novelty for us. All communication with Nigel before and during our trip was efficient and professional. Our accommodation in Hora was very comfortable and all the restaurants we visited were top class.
Written October 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
helenliebling
Leamington Spa, UK47 contributions
Aug 2020 • Solo
I really enjoyed this 6 day walking holiday. Nigel was flexible and well organised. The varied routes took us to beautiful scenery and great beaches for swimming and snorkelling. There were also local activities including wine tasting and visiting a cave. I highly recommend this trip.
Written September 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ilona R
3 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
Really well spent week hiking on the best trails of the island of Kythnos. Very friendly atmosphere and support from local guides. The nature of Kythnos is stunning and I will definitely want to come back. I appreciate very good conditions of accomodation and great meals.
Written June 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daydream296594
1 contribution
Jun 2019 • Friends
Just returned from a 5 day/ 6 night walking holiday in beautiful, unspoilt Kythnos! Thoroughly enjoyed the experience - Nigel and Katerina were very knowledgeable guides and the other members of my group were fun to hang out with. Our daily hikes were always varied and Nigel put together a really interesting itinerary so that we saw beautiful churches, visited many deserted beaches, enjoyed refreshing swims (and sometimes a cold beer) and had plenty of laughs. I am a keen walker and found the level of difficulty of the hikes just right. Every single thing we ate was out of this world and I thoroughly enjoyed the the breakfasts at Stamatis. Don't miss the bakery at Hora too as it sells the best homemade granola bars. All the local people we came into contact with were super friendly and welcoming and the hotel in Hora was charming. I highly recommend experiencing this beautiful, surprisingly off-the-beaten track island and the holiday was excellent value for money. Thank you Nigel!
Written June 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliver724
London, UK13 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
We were met at the airport and transported to a charming hotel in Central Athens, arranged at short-notice due to a seaman's strike. Subsequently, we were guided on a day's enjoyable walk in the Parnitha National Park which included a good meal at a mountain refuge. In Athens, an arranged guided tour gave unusual depth and interest to the city, including a marvellous meal in traditional surroundings, quite a way from the tourist traps.
Kythnos Hiking also arranged first class accommodation with meals and walking tours on Kythnos, including all sailings, at a very reasonable price. The walks were led by Katerina Filippa, a local, who as a surveyor had an intimate knowledge of the island. She has co-authored a hiking guide with Nigel Tutt of Kythnos Hiking. Kythnos has an interesting topography and history with ancient and continuous human settlement, numerous sandy beaches, coves and churches, all unsullied by excess tourism. Equally so, the two main villages of Hora and Dryopida. The latter with a small folk museum and a historic cave nearby. All the hospitality and food were first rate - a fish meal in Merichas particularly stands out.
Nigel Tutt, of Kythnos Hiking - who accompanied all the walks - made every effort to ensure we experienced a full sense of what this very private island has to offer - each day being a good walk along old historic routes including the possibility of a swim, one of which was by an old spa and involved hot mineral water by the sea. A detailed guide, as mentioned, is supplied for those who wish to walk alone. A particularly dramatic and poignant spot is the deserted Byzantine church of Aghia Triadha in Orias Castle, with fading altar wall paintings, perched high on an impressive headland & in view when sailing to and from the island. It is the old capital and a site of a massacre in the sixteenth century.
Kythnos is an unusual island, so close to Athens yet so removed, and still its own place. Rich in a wide variety of flora and fauna some, I believe, unique to the island. We appreciated the personal attention given us by Kythnos Tours and unreservedly recommend them to anyone looking for a different sort of island experience, a programme tailored to individual requirements, or a one day tour.
We look forward to our return.
Kythnos Hiking also arranged first class accommodation with meals and walking tours on Kythnos, including all sailings, at a very reasonable price. The walks were led by Katerina Filippa, a local, who as a surveyor had an intimate knowledge of the island. She has co-authored a hiking guide with Nigel Tutt of Kythnos Hiking. Kythnos has an interesting topography and history with ancient and continuous human settlement, numerous sandy beaches, coves and churches, all unsullied by excess tourism. Equally so, the two main villages of Hora and Dryopida. The latter with a small folk museum and a historic cave nearby. All the hospitality and food were first rate - a fish meal in Merichas particularly stands out.
Nigel Tutt, of Kythnos Hiking - who accompanied all the walks - made every effort to ensure we experienced a full sense of what this very private island has to offer - each day being a good walk along old historic routes including the possibility of a swim, one of which was by an old spa and involved hot mineral water by the sea. A detailed guide, as mentioned, is supplied for those who wish to walk alone. A particularly dramatic and poignant spot is the deserted Byzantine church of Aghia Triadha in Orias Castle, with fading altar wall paintings, perched high on an impressive headland & in view when sailing to and from the island. It is the old capital and a site of a massacre in the sixteenth century.
Kythnos is an unusual island, so close to Athens yet so removed, and still its own place. Rich in a wide variety of flora and fauna some, I believe, unique to the island. We appreciated the personal attention given us by Kythnos Tours and unreservedly recommend them to anyone looking for a different sort of island experience, a programme tailored to individual requirements, or a one day tour.
We look forward to our return.
Written November 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NaTpis
Athens, Greece3 contributions
Sep 2019 • Friends
Highly recommended! We reached remote areas of the islands, enjoyed spectacular views. The group was terrific and so was the guide!
Written September 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacky S
6 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
My husband and I had a wonderful holiday. What did we appreciate? It’s a long list! First of all, Nigel responded to all questions and concerns really promptly as we booked.Tickets and itinerary arrived as promised and we were met from the ferry. The accommodation was comfortable and spotlessly clean with air conditioning and comfortable beds. We enjoyed the balcony space too. Kythnos is a beautiful island with stunning views of the Aegean, an abundance of wild flowers, picturesque villages and warm, generous and hospitable people. Nigel is a great host. Not only did we enjoy great walking but also finding out about different aspects of life on Kythnos - present and past. (Visits to the honey farm, a start up cheese making business were really interesting.) Nigel was responsive to the needs / wishes of the group and very flexible. At one point in the holiday I developed a foot problem and experienced considerate help and support.
So we highly recommend Kythnos Hiking. Go and enjoy!
So we highly recommend Kythnos Hiking. Go and enjoy!
Written June 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience